Sweet Carolina Girls Part 26

"Yeah, I know, you like her. I do to. I was pretty sure I loved her, but I can't help it. I'm p.i.s.sed about the ring thing. She said she was going to tell Shelby if she asked and then she hid it from her, so she wouldn't have to deal with it. What the f.u.c.k? I'm dealing with it every day. If I had known there was going to be this much drama, I might have pa.s.sed on the whole thing."

Jasper lifted and plopped his paw down again in her lap.

"I know, I know, she had me the moment she looked at me, too. Let's go home. Maybe we'll think of an answer to our problems on the way back."

They arrived back at the house nearly three hours after leaving. As soon as they turned into the driveway, Jasper started barking h.e.l.lo at the woman sitting on the top step of the front porch. It was Lauren. Harper released his leash and Jasper bounded up the stairs to her. He evidently had no problem with the ring thing. Harper parked the bike and climbed the steps to sit beside Lauren at the top. She looked angry.

Lauren didn't give Harper time to speak, "I called you, I texted you, I even went to the lab, I came home and you weren't here. I thought something had happened or you ran away. Then I realized Jasper was gone and so was your bike, so I sat here and got mad."

Harper tried to speak, but Lauren put up her hand.

"I am twenty-eight years old, soon to be twenty-nine and that means I'm supposed to handle my problems like an adult. And although you are five years younger, I expect you to be more mature than to run off on your bike when we should be talking about what is bothering you. Now, that I've said that, I hope we won't have this problem in the future."

Harper was in a testy mood herself and proved it by answering, "So we have a future, are you sure, or is that something you really don't want to deal with?"

"Well, I guess I know what's bothering you."

"It wouldn't bother you? I've taken a backseat to Shelby's needs from day one. Don't make Shelby mad. Try to understand. Give her time. Bulls.h.i.+t! Maybe it's time for Shelby to grow up and take it like a big girl." Harper was raising her voice, something she tried never to do.

It meant a lack of control and Harper had always been in control, but not with this one. Lauren was different. Lauren got inside and made her feel things. Things she didn't want to feel like love, and loss, and anger and jealously. On cue, the darkening sky opened up and began to pour rain almost instantly.

Harper reached in Jasper's pack for the garage door opener. She pushed the b.u.t.ton and took the bike inside closing the door behind her. The garage now contained both their vehicles so the path to the bike rack was a little tighter. The door was so noisy she didn't realize that Jasper and Lauren had followed her. She turned to see a very wet Lauren standing in front of the Tahoe, with one hand on her hip.

Talking with her other hand, the one not on her hip, Lauren indicated for Harper to continue, "Please, I'm sure there's more. Get it all out while you're in the mood. I mean, honestly Harper, I'm surprised it took you this long to get your bucket full."

A jolt of anger flew into Harper, "What do you want from me? Do you want a lackey to stand by you while you martyr yourself to the cause of rehabilitating Dr. Shelby West?"

Lauren shot back, "I didn't ask for this, if you recall. She put me on that d.a.m.n piece of paper. I had no choice."

"She's awake now and quite capable of making decisions about her care, but you're still there every day. Even when you're with me, she calls all the time, or has somebody else call," Harper continued to escalate the fight.

"You never complained. You said do what I had to do. I thought you supported me in this," Lauren started to cry.

Now, Harper was angry, that was true, but when Lauren started to cry and Harper was the cause of it, something broke in her chest. She did not want to hurt Lauren. It was these d.a.m.n emotions that were so new to her. They scared Harper, so she lashed out, but she never meant to make Lauren cry. And if this is the way that made her feel, she would never make Lauren cry again. Harper stopped arguing and stepped toward Lauren.

"Hey, hey don't cry. I'm sorry. Please don't cry."

Harper held out her arms and Lauren fell into them. Harper repeated, "I'm sorry."

"I know I've asked so much of you," Lauren said, into Harper's chest. "I don't blame you for being angry. I just wish you'd talk to me and not hold it all in, until you burst."

"Lauren, to be honest with you I didn't know I felt that way, until I saw you weren't wearing your ring and it just all flooded in on me at once. I didn't know what to do with it so I went for a ride," Harper said, trying to explain.

"I'm sorry I was mad when you came home. I got scared." Lauren looked up at Harper, "I couldn't find you and I got scared."

She had stopped crying, but the tears were still on her skin. Harper wiped the moisture from Lauren's cheeks and kissed her, pulling her close and tight. Lauren wrapped her arms around Harper's neck and kissed her back, with a desperation she had not felt from Lauren before.

Lauren pulled her head back and whispered against Harper's lips, "Please don't leave me."

Harper whispered back, "I'm not going anywhere."

There was no softball game that night. It was just as well, the Tarr Bar left fielder and shortstop would have been late anyway, because they were busy working out their communication issues in the shower upstairs.

Chapter Twenty-Eight.

If it is true that April showers bring May flowers, then April was trying to insure the flowers were sufficiently showered upon. It continued to rain all night and into early Wednesday morning. Harper and Lauren opted for a work out on the weights, instead of their usual run. Harper had locked Jasper's dog door earlier when he dove in the bed, soaking wet. So after the workout, she donned her rain gear and took him for a walk, while Lauren made them breakfast.

After a hot shower, Harper dressed and made it downstairs before her egg whites were too cold. Lauren joined her at the table with a fresh cup of coffee and a gla.s.s of orange juice. If nothing else she was eating well these days. Lauren stirred her coffee, lost in thought.

Harper touched the ring on Lauren's hand, "A penny for your thoughts."

"I was just thinking; I'm scheduled to meet with Shelby and her many physical therapists this morning. I'm supposed to learn how to take care of her, how to get her up and down and into a wheelchair or on the toilet. If Mother is hiring private care nurses, shouldn't she hire people who already know all this stuff?"

"I would a.s.sume so," Harper answered after swallowing a bite of toast.

"Well then, I'll call the hospital and cancel. Then I'll text the suggestion to Mother that she be sure these private care people know all this stuff, because I no longer am responsible for Shelby's care. Mother loves to get texts now that her grandson taught her how."

"Lauren, don't taunt her."

"I won't, although I'd love to. I'll call her and talk rationally to her. Now, whether or not she listens will be another story. Anyway, I am out of the Shelby care business, except my regular s.h.i.+ft as one of her friends."

"How do you think Shelby is going to react to that?" Harper pushed her plate away, suddenly not hungry anymore.

"It doesn't matter. It's clear that my involvement with her bothers you, so it's done. I won't lose you to make her feel better," Lauren spoke with a new a.s.surance in her voice.

"Wow. That's a big step from yesterday."

"Harper, you were right, even if you didn't know how to say it. Shelby had me right back where I used to be, taking care of Shelby and her needs first. I'm finished with all of that. Today, I'd like to go get my dogs and introduce them to Jasper, if that's okay with you?"

"Yeah, sure, but who's going to tell Shelby?"

"I'll deal with that, too," and then Lauren dismissed the subject for good. "Does Jasper like other dogs at his house?"

"He's great with other dogs, how about yours?" Harper decided to let Lauren do what Lauren wanted to do, which is what Shelby never did.

"If everything goes well, I'd like to keep them here till Shelby can take them back. They're outdoor dogs mostly, I'll have to move their houses and get some temporary pins put in, before they can stay. They're kennel trained in the house but, Shelby hated it when I let them in."

"Whatever you want to do, honey." Harper stood up, she needed to get to work. She started to pick up her plate, but Lauren stopped her.

"Leave it. I'll do the dishes, after you're gone," she said, standing to hug Harper and kiss her goodbye.

Harper was puzzled, "What, you're not going to the hospital?"

Lauren smiled up at Harper with those dimples showing, she c.o.c.ked her head that cute way she did and Harper swooned, "Harper, honey, haven't you been listening? I'm done with being Shelby's nurse."

Harper would have kissed her, just because she was so d.a.m.n cute, but she kissed her, because she finally felt like she was all hers and hers alone. No more sharing. She considered staying home with Lauren, but in the end she left for work, leaving a happy Jasper and Lauren waving goodbye on the porch. She hatched a plan on the way to work and called the lab to tell them she would be about an hour late.

Onstar located the farm supply store and directed her straight to their doors. The good ol' boys inside were happy to see such a good-looking female come into their store. They fell over themselves to help the young woman, needing a double kennel built and she needed them right away. She paid extra, so the store manager would call in two boys, on their off day. They would follow Harper back to the house this afternoon at one o'clock. Now she just had to get rid of Lauren.

She dialed Becky's cell number from outside the farm supply. She arranged to have Becky tell Lauren, she would meet her at one o'clock at her house to introduce Jasper to her dogs. Becky was to convince her it was better to do it that way, than to just thrust two strange dogs into Jasper's territory. Harper would back this up when Lauren called her to tell her what Becky said. Then Becky was to keep Lauren there until she got the text from Harper, with the all clear. Becky was excited to be in on the secret and promised to do a good job on selling it to Lauren.

Harper was stoked for the remainder of the morning. She flew through her duties at the lab and even got a little ahead of her a.s.sistants. She sent an email to her advisor from Midwestern, in response to his inquiry about her research. Harper did much of her doctorial cla.s.s work at Midwestern, but completed enough online and correspondence courses, at UC, to finish her thesis there. Special dispensation was made in Harper's case, because of the nature of her research and the corporate stipulations on her grant, in which they insisted the remainder of the testing be done in Research Triangle Park, near their headquarters.

Just as she thought, Lauren called her about mid-morning, explaining what Becky had told her about the dogs meeting at her house. Harper agreed wholeheartedly that Becky was correct. She said she felt better that Becky would be there with Lauren when the dogs met, just in case something went wrong. The plan was working, now Harper had to finish work and get back to the farm supply by one.

Harper was a little ahead of schedule, but so were the two guys that were going to help her with the kennels. Their names were Jake and Billy and they were your typical young buck types, eager to please. They already had their truck loaded and ready to go. They followed Harper to the house, where she opened the gate so they could drive their load into the back yard. Harper showed the boys where she wanted the kennel placed and the two young bucks went to work. She promised them an extra hundred each, if they could get it done in less than an hour.

While they were working Harper went into the house, changed her clothes and then out to the garage. She dug around in a box under the workbench and came up with her dad's old wood burning tool. She found two small pieces of pressure treated two by six under the deck and had one of the boys cut them to the same length with his circular saw. She could have done it, but he was there already with a saw in his hand.

Harper burnt the names Wiley and Dixie into the wood pieces. Then she drilled holes, found some rope in the garage and was back outside with the nameplates, just as the boys finished up the kennel. They made it in under an hour so Harper paid up, she didn't mind. Jake and Billy did a really nice job and cleaned up after themselves. That was a rare combination these days. She hung the nameplates and sent the all clear text to Becky.

After Jake and Billy were gone, Harper sent a text to Lauren that she was getting off early and heading home. She received a text back saying Lauren was just about to leave Becky's. She waited in the house until she heard Lauren's Tahoe pull up to the side gate. Harper walked out onto the back deck to watch Lauren's reaction. Lauren never saw the kennels, at least not at first.

Lauren pulled through the gate and then got out to close it behind her. She saw Harper on the deck and walked to the pa.s.senger side of the Tahoe, smiling she said, "Here they come."

With that, she opened the back door of the vehicle and out popped three very excited dogs. Jasper ran around the two labs, frantically trying to get their attention. They were too busy smelling everything to notice. Then Jasper saw Harper and came to tell her about his new friends. He barked in excitement.

Harper rubbed his head, cooing, "Yeah, you got some new buddies, huh, good boy, yeah."

Lauren walked up on the deck, looking back at her two dogs, "They are in heaven, new territory to smell. I'm glad you're home early." Lauren hugged Harper around the waist. "You smell like burning wood. What have you been doing?"

"Turn around." Harper aimed Lauren at the big kennel, she had never seen, even though she stopped her car not ten feet from them.

"Harper, when you did...how did..." She stopped sputtering and turned back to Harper. She threw her arms around Harper's neck and smiled up at her, "I love you. Did I tell you that today?"

Harper grinned, "No, I don't think you did."

Lauren introduced Harper to Wiley and Dixie and before too long, Harper had all three dogs chasing tennis b.a.l.l.s she hit with a tennis racket. The new family, stepchildren and all, played together until the dogs were completely exhausted. Harper introduced them to their new kennel, which they gratefully retired to. Lauren and Harper fed and watered the new charges and then went inside with Jasper, who collapsed on the couch and began snoring in a few short minutes.

Lauren laughed, "All the children are asleep."

Harper grabbed her hand, "Then I guess it's time for the parents to play, come with me, I need a shower."

"No, first we need to talk." Lauren looked serious, so Harper sat down at the table. Lauren took the seat across from her.

Lauren began, "I did talk to Shelby this morning. I explained how the new schedule was going to work and that my mother was who she should call if she needed anything. She wasn't pleased and I'm sure I haven't heard the end of it, but I wanted to let you know exactly what I said and where things with Shelby stand."

Harper took Lauren's hand, "Lauren you don't have to report to me. I don't want this."

"I know. I don't have to report to you, I just need you to know, okay."

"Okay, now I know. Since we're having a family discussion, do you think my stepchildren are angry about the bio-child sleeping in the house?" Harper hated serious discussions.

"No, I think they prefer it outside, for now anyway."

Harper stood up, "Then time for a shower, I smell like burnt wood and wet dogs."

Lauren stood after her, saying, "I guess this discussion is over?"

"Yep, are you coming with me?" Harper asked, as she started for the shower.

Lauren stood her ground, "What's in it for me?"

"Oh, I don't know...what fantasies do you need to be fulfilled?" Harper started stripping and throwing her clothes at Lauren's feet.

"None that I can think of at the moment," Lauren broke into a run, "but I bet I can think of some before you get to the top of those stairs."

Harper shot up the stairs laughing so hard she fell and Lauren pa.s.sed her, giggling, as she climbed over Harper's p.r.o.ne body, saying, "I win, you have to bow to my will."

Harper just lay there and laughed, "Oh, I bowed to your will weeks ago, honey. We're way past that."

"Then get naked and make all my dreams come true, before the kids wake up."

Chapter Twenty-Nine.

Thursday was a beautiful spring day, with not a cloud in the sky. Lauren, Harper and the three dogs went for a run. It had been a while, at least six weeks, since Lauren had taken the labs for a run so they were a bit of a handful. Harper stretched it out with them leaving Jasper behind with Lauren. Harper could tell where Lauren was by the constant barking from Jasper, encouraging her to run faster. Harper had to turn back, just to make him stop.

They turned the dogs out in the backyard, while they went inside to shower and dress. Harper could hear Lauren downstairs laughing, while she dressed in the bedroom. When Harper came down Lauren explained that Jasper made the mistake of taking his baseball outside, and now he had to chase the labs, who were playing keep away. Harper drank her coffee and watched the shenanigans in the yard. She decided she would have to buy Jasper more baseb.a.l.l.s, so he wouldn't be so protective of them. She would probably have to have J.R. rub them all down to make Jasper happy.

Harper sat down at the table and opened the local paper she brought in from the porch. Splashed across the front page was this headline, D.A. DROPS MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE AGAINST UC PROFESSOR.

Harper froze for a second then called Lauren away from the window, "Baby, I think your mother has been busy." She turned the paper, so Lauren could see the headline.

Lauren s.n.a.t.c.hed the paper from Harper's hand and began to read out loud, "The Orange County D.A.'s office released a statement late last night claiming that, after a thorough investigation by the Orange County Sherriff's department, the manslaughter charges filed over a week ago against Dr. Shelby West are being dropped. Dr. West was found to be not at fault, in what the press release called, simply a tragic accident. Dr. West was also charged with DUI, which has been dropped to impaired driving, after it was discovered that a new medication she was taking could cause a false reading on the alcohol blood test. The tragic accident resulted in the death of UC graduate student, Leah Hill. The Hill family had no comment concerning the news of Dr. West being cleared of all serious charges."

Harper said what she felt, "Unbelievable."

"Mother must have had the Zachary family attorneys burning the midnight oil on this one. Somebody just got a very large campaign contribution, I'm sure," Lauren said sounding disgusted.

Harper added, "I bet she paid off the Hill family, too."

"When Molly's bill comes I'm sending it to Mother," Lauren snipped.